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      Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua called out by Francis Ngannou after UFC exit as heavyweight star eyes boxing switch

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU has called out Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua after leaving the UFC. The heavyweight has walked out as UFC champion after failing to agree a new contract with the MMA powerhouse.
      Francis Ngannou has called out Tyson Fury and Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty
      Tyson Fury after beating Dillian Whyte in April 2022Credit: Reuters
      Anthony Joshua before his first fight with Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021Credit: Getty
      Now Ngannou, 36, is ready to realise his long-standing dream of making it as a professional boxer.
      And he is wasting no time in calling out two of sport’s best in Fury, 34, and Joshua, 33.
      Ngannou said on The MMA Hour: “I still want to achieve something in boxing and I want to stay in MMA as well.
      “I discovered MMA first in my life and I feel like I have some mileage to give in my sport.
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      “In a perfect world, I go out there get some boxing match then get some MMA, depending on the challenges that are out there.
      “If they are out there, I want to fight the top guys in boxing. I don’t know, I think Fury has retired and come back.
      “I don’t know where Fury is right now, but now it is time. Before, we could not do anything concrete beyond the social media stuff.
      “Whatever it is, if it is with Tyson Fury, I will take it. I have no problem doing boxing with 4oz gloves, we will figure it out.
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      “Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua would be my first ideal opponent.”
      Fury faced off against Ngannou in April after he knocked out Dillian Whyte, 34, at Wembley.
      But at the time, the Cameroonian was injured and still in talks to extend his UFC deal.
      The UFC prohibit their stars from fighting outside of the promotion, unless given special permission.
      Conor McGregor, 34, was given so in 2017 for his loss to American legend Floyd Mayweather, 45.
      But Ngannou was told he would not be allowed to replicate McGregor’s move, leaving him unwilling to be tied down to one promotion.
      He said: “In that contract, I’m not free. I’m not an independent contractor. I have no rights.
      “I hand over all the power to you guys. I’ve seen in the past how you guys can utilise your power against me, and I don’t want that.”
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      Francis Ngannou with UFC president Dana White in January 2022Credit: Getty More

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      Anthony Joshua was a ‘beast’ until he ‘started to box too much’ says unbeaten heavyweight Filip Hrgovic

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      FILIP HRGOVIC said Anthony Joshua was a “beast” until he “started to box too much”. AJ was beaten for the first time in June 2019, losing in round seven to Andy Ruiz Jr after four knockdowns.
      Filip Hrgovic said Anthony Joshua was a ‘beast’ until he ‘started to box too much’Credit: Getty
      Anthony Joshua is set for a boxing return in AprilCredit: Getty
      But he reformed his style to outbox Ruiz, 33, in their Saudi Arabia rematch six months later.
      Although the same tactics saw him twice lose to Oleksandr Usyk, 36, leaving Joshua, 33, in a must-win return fight this year.
      Unbeaten contender Hrgovic, 30, is one of the opponents linked with AJ and the Croatian had a brutal assessment of the Brit.
      He told Tru School Sports: “I’m careful not to learn too much and become something that I’m not, take away my advantages.
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      “I think that happened to Anthony Joshua. He was a beast.
      “He was a knockout artist and then he started to learn too much about boxing and he started to box too much, overthinking.” 
      Hrgovic narrowly beat Zhang Zhilei, 39, on the undercard of Joshua’s rematch defeat to Usyk in August.
      And he is one of the emerging candidates to welcome AJ back to the ring on his proposed April 1 comeback fight.
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      But as revealed by SunSport, American Jermaine Franklin, 29, is leading the race.
      Franklin was beaten by Dillian Whyte, 34, in November which was a disputed decision Joshua was ringside for.
      Southpaws Otto Wallin, 30, and Demsey McKean, 32, who are both ex-sparring partners of AJ’s, are also named in the list.
      Dillian Whyte beat Jermaine Franklin in a disputed decisionCredit: Getty More

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      ‘I’m coming for you’ – Tyson Fury slams Oleksandr Usyk for ‘pathetic’ callout and vows to ‘bust up’ rival in response

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      TYSON FURY has hit back after Oleksandr Usyk’s “pathetic” callout and responded: “I’m coming for you.” The pair of unbeaten champions are in talks for a historic undisputed title decider this year.
      Tyson Fury has hit back after Oleksandr Usyk’s ‘pathetic’ calloutCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      Oleksandr Usyk calling Tyson Fury out online
      But no deal has yet been agreed, much to the frustration of Usyk, who called Fury “belly” and tweeted: “Where are you?”
      It did not take long for a response, as Fury replied: “Usyk, calling out the Gypsy King with your pathetic little callouts, dosser.
      “Rabbit, I’m coming for you rabbit. You’re getting it rabbit. And I’ll tell you what else, I’m going to bust you up real bad you little middleweight.
      “I’m going to slap you into a big pile of tattoos, sucker.”
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      Never in heavyweight history have all four belts been contested for.
      And such is the magnitude of of the title unification, the Middle East have emerged as frontrunners to offer millions to host.
      But Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum warned attention will switch to London if the lucrative deal is not tabled.
      Arum told BoxingScene: “Everybody agreed that if [Saudi Arabia’s] offer comes through and it’s real, that’s how we’ll go.
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      “If not, we’ll do the fight at Wembley.”
      Usyk, 36, beat Anthony Joshua, 33, twice to win and retain the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
      And he travelled to Tottenham in December to watch Fury, 34, defend his WBC belt against Derek Chisora, 38, in ten one-sided rounds.
      He filled out almost 60,000 seats, taking his ticket sales to over 150,000 in 2022 after knocking out Dillian Whyte, 34, at Wembley last April.
      And Arum argues if the super-fight against Usyk is taken to England, Fury should be rewarded for his box office appeal.
      He said: “The fighters have agreed to fight.
      I’m going to bust you up real bad you little middleweight. I’m going to slap you into a big pile of tattoos, sucker.Tyson Fury to Oleksandr Usyk
      “I spoke to Frank Warren. We’re giving them until [this] week to come with their offer, which I believe we’ll get.
      “If we don’t, then we’re gonna do the fight at Wembley. And then we’d have to talk about the percentages because Usyk wants 50-50.
      “That’s not right if the fight’s at Wembley because there will be 95,000 Brits at the fight and big Brit pay-per-view money, so Tyson deserves the lion’s share.
      “But we don’t get to that point if the [investors in Saudi Arabia] come through, because the way they operate is they make deals with each of the fighters.
      “We’ve been led to believe that they’re going to come with a proposal [this] week.
      “I’ll believe it when I see it, but it’s not like they haven’t come through in the past.”
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      Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk squaring up in DecemberCredit: Reuters More

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      Anthony Joshua backed to become ‘dangerous’ again by Roy Jones Jr after linking up with trainer Derrick James

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      ROY JONES JR has backed Anthony Joshua to become “dangerous” again after linking up with coach Derrick James. Joshua is set to announce trainer of the year candidate James as his new cornerman ahead of his scheduled boxing return in April.
      Anthony Joshua training in TexasCredit: Instagram / @anthonyjoshua
      Roy Jones Jr pictured with Chris Eubank JrCredit: Instagram / @chriseubankjr
      The Texan mastermind has led Errol Spence Jr, 32, to unified welterweight titles and Jermell Charlo, 32, to undisputed light-middleweight glory.
      And boxing legend Jones, 54, believes it is the kind of form that can steer Joshua, 33, back to his brutal best.
      He told Vegas Insider: “Derrick James is a great trainer, he’s doing great things with Errol Spence, he’s achieving more than people ever thought he would, so I think James will be a great trainer, that’s why I told him if the chemistry is good he should stick with it.
      “I think James is the right man for the job and can help Joshua with his confidence and his game.
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      “The way that Spence fights with the pressure, I think he will be a great teacher for Joshua because he does need to learn how to apply the pressure, he’s most dangerous when he applies that pressure.
      “That’s why I think it will be the right fit. If I knew he was considering James in the beginning I would have told him straight away James will be a good fit.”
      Joshua split with Rob McCracken after his first loss to Oleksandr Usyk, 36, in September 2021.
      And he hired American Robert Garcia for the Saudi Arabia rematch 11 months later.
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      But again AJ was beaten and forced to go back to the drawing board, which meant Garcia was also let go.
      Jones, who currently coaches Chris Eubank Jr, 33, offered his services, but never heard back.
      He said: “We had had a couple of conversations about him coming to Brighton to trial me with, to see if we had any chemistry but we did not get to that stage, he did not come to Brighton. 
      “He went to the United States and met with Derrick James first before we had a chance to get together.
      “I feel if you have the chemistry and the right connection there’s no point in going back and forth, trying out different trainers.
      “I texted him a message as I heard he’d been in America with James and just said maybe it’s good to stick with James if there’s chemistry as I do not want to make it harder for you to make a decision, going back and forth. 
      “He did not get back to me but I wish him all the best.”
      Errol Spence Jr with his coach Derrick JamesCredit: Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions More

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      Tyson Fury’s promoter says Oleksandr Usyk fight will be at Wembley with new terms if Saudi Arabia fail to make an offer

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      TYSON FURY could receive a lion’s share fee if his fight with Oleksandr Usyk lands at Wembley and not in Saudi Arabia. The pair of unbeaten champions are in talks for the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification bout.
      Tyson Fury with his US promoter Bob ArumCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Oleksandr Usyk is in talks to fight Tyson FuryCredit: EPA
      And the Middle East emerged as a frontrunner to host with Saudi bosses ready to throw vast sums at the undisputed decider.
      But Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum warned attention will switch to London if the lucrative deal is not tabled.
      Arum told BoxingScene: “Everybody agreed that if [Saudi Arabia’s] offer comes through and it’s real, that’s how we’ll go.
      “If not, we’ll do the fight at Wembley.”
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      Usyk, 36, beat Anthony Joshua, 33, twice to win and retain the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
      And he travelled to Tottenham in December to watch Fury, 34, defend his WBC belt against Derek Chisora, 38, in ten one-sided rounds.
      He filled out almost 60,000 seats, taking his ticket sales to over 150,000 in 2022 after knocking out Dillian Whyte, 34, at Wembley last April.
      And Arum argues if the super-fight against Usyk is taken to England, Fury should be rewarded for his box office appeal.
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      He said: “The fighters have agreed to fight.
      “I spoke to Frank Warren. We’re giving them until [this] week to come with their offer, which I believe we’ll get.
      “If we don’t, then we’re gonna do the fight at Wembley. And then we’d have to talk about the percentages because Usyk wants 50-50.
      “That’s not right if the fight’s at Wembley because there will be 95,000 Brits at the fight and big Brit pay-per-view money, so Tyson deserves the lion’s share.
      “But we don’t get to that point if the [investors in Saudi Arabia] come through, because the way they operate is they make deals with each of the fighters.
      “We’ve been led to believe that they’re going to come with a proposal [this] week.
      “I’ll believe it when I see it, but it’s not like they haven’t come through in the past.”
      Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk squaring up in DecemberCredit: REUTERS More

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      Jake Paul celebrates 26th birthday with gruelling strength and conditioning training as Tommy Fury fight is ‘DONE DEAL’

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      JAKE PAUL celebrated his 26th birthday with some gruelling training – as it emerged his fight with Tommy Fury is a “DONE DEAL.” The American marked his big day by treating it like any other, working away in his Puerto Rico gym.
      Jake Paul celebrated his 26th birthday with some gruelling training
      Jake Paul in his Puerto Rico boxing gym
      His boxing banner Most Valuable Promotions uploaded a video of Paul in a tiresome strength and conditioning drill.
      The YouTuber-turned boxer was deep in a power exercise, exploding up in the air with resistance.
      His brutal session came on the same day journalist Ariel Helwani reported a deal for Paul to fight Fury on February 25 was done.
      It will be the third time the pair of celebrity boxing rivals have tried to settle their score in the ring.

      Fury, 23, was forced to pull out in December 2021 due to a rib injury and then last August amid a US visa issue.
      The travel woe still persists today, which left the UK and Middle East as frontrunners to host the bitter bout.
      Paul even offered to travel to Manchester on February 18 and fight Fury on enemy territory.
      But a more lucrative deal in Saudi Arabia a week later was proposed and looks to have won the race.
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      Saudi boxing boss Prince Khaled added to further speculation as he posted a video with the tune, “signed, sealed, delivered.”
      Fury last boxed in Dubai in November in a last-minute exhibition against Rolly Lambert, 33.
      And Paul was a special guest commentator and slammed the six-round bout from ringside.
      Just a month prior, he had beaten UFC legend Anderson Silva, 46, to mark the biggest win in his 6-0 career.
      Talks between Paul and Fury have been ongoing since December and an announcement now awaits after a deal has been all-but confirmed.
      Tommy Fury’s fight with Jake Paul is a ‘done deal’ More

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      Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith undercard: Who is fighting on Manchester bill?

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      CHRIS EUBANK JR is back in the ring this weekend for the first time since his fight with Conor Benn was cancelled. Next Gen will take on the experienced Liam Smith in a middleweight bout in Manchester.
      Chris Eubank faces Liam Smith in the main event on Saturday nightCredit: PA
      The pair have been trading verbal jabs throughout the build-up to their fight on Saturday.
      Eubank Jr and Smith will finally be able to settle their beef in a brilliant fight to kick off the new year in British boxing.
      On the undercard there are some fantastic fights for fans to feast their eyes on.
      The likes of Joseph Parker, Chris Kongo and Richard Riakporhe are all in action.
      Eubank Jr vs Smith full card
      Though Eubank Jr vs Smith will headline the card, there are some cracking fights to come before it.
      Richard Riakporhe is in the co-main against Krysztof Glowacki as he looks to kick on towards a world title shot.
      Chris Kongo faces Ekow Essuman for the British and Commonwealth titles.
      And Joseph Parker is back in action for the first time since his loss to Joe Joyce as he takes on Brit Jack Massey.
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      Frazer Clarke and Matty Harris are also in fights of their own on the card.
      Joseph Parker is in action on the Eubank Jr-Smith undercardCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun

      Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Liam Smith
      Richard Riakporhe vs. Krzysztof Głowacki
      Joseph Parker vs. Jack Massey
      Ekow Essuman vs. Chris Kongo
      Frazer Clarke vs. Kevin Espindola
      Matty Harris vs. Jiri Surmaj
      Scott Forrest vs. Amine Boucetta More

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      I was mercilessly trolled over my Tyson Fury tattoo but I don’t care, the Gypsy King says he loves the tribute

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      A MUM who was trolled viciously online after getting a Tyson Fury tattoo – has shut the haters up after her hero gave the tribute his seal of approval. Mother-of-two Anna Sinclair got the tattoo on her arm to pay homage to the heavyweight champ – who she says is her “idol” and even inspired her to quit booze.
      Anna meeting her hero Tyson Fury earlier this weekCredit: Anna Sinclair
      She said the boxer loved her tattooCredit: Anna Sinclair
      A close-up of the tattooCredit: The Sun
      But she was bombarded with mean comments when she posted it on a Tyson Fury fan page on Facebook with people saying the inking looks nothing like the Gypsy King and she should have it removed.
      However, Anna has had the last laugh after bumping into Fury earlier this week as the champion enjoyed a relaxing break with wife Paris and their kids at an all-inclusive resort in Tenerife.
      Anna even met Paris too, who also liked the tattoo.
      Anna, 34, who lives in Tenerife, told The Sun: “I heard he might be staying at this hotel and I only live 10 minutes up the road. So I booked a room and came here with my mother and kids.
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      “While we were standing at the check-in desk my eldest spotted Tyson walking by with another guy.
      “I went up to him and said, ‘Hi, it’s me,’ and showed him my tattoo.
      “I don’t really remember my words because when I actually saw him in real life my words started scrambling!
      “He asked me if I was a guest at the hotel and I said yes, but I told him I heard he was coming.
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      “He really liked my tattoo. It was hard for me to even find the camera button as my hands were shaking.
      “I never felt so excited and happy and shy. I just can’t believe I couldn’t squeeze a word when I saw him because I wanted to ask him so many things.”
      Anna first got her tattoo last May just days after days after the Gypsy King knocked out fellow Brit Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium.
      After posting online she was shocked by the horrible comments, with one fan saying: “It looks like the guy Barry down the road who sells the cheap backy [sic]” and another claimed it looked like his milkman.
      Fans claimed the tattoo resembled “Harvey Price with a skinhead”, “Ross Kemp” – and even “Boy George without his hat on”.
      ‘BE KIND’
      At the time Anna clapped back saying she doesn’t care what her “haters” say – and loves the tattoo, urging the online trolls to be kind and stay positive.
      And Anna, who lives with her two children in Tenerife, while her boyfriend Ryan Hudson lives in London, has a message for her haters.
      “Some of the haters think it’s weird to have his tattoo and think I’m trying it on with Tyson or something like that but I’m getting engaged to my boyfriend and I am in love with him,” she said.
      “I met Tyson’s wife Paris at the hotel and I told her ‘I have a tattoo of your husband but I don’t mean it in a weird way, I just support him and he was been my inspiration’, and she totally understood.
      “She was a wonderful lady and I told her how happy I am to meet her. I really am lucky to have met the both of them and I think my life will change for the better.
      “No more sad days, only happy days because if this can happen then anything can happen.
      “I hope the haters will change and learn to be kind.”
      I went and got the tattoo just because I want to wake up and see his face.”Anna Sinclair
      Anna said she wasn’t even a boxing fan before she watched her first Fury fight – but became hooked and started watching his previous matches and interviews online.
      “He became such an inspiration to me that I went and got the tattoo just because I want to wake up and see his face,” she said.
      “I just loved everything about him – his whole energy, his look and his attitude.
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      “I liked the way he talked openly about his mental health struggles with anxiety because I can relate to that.”
      Emma Parry Exclusive. Pictured Anna SinclairCredit: Anna Sinclair
      Trolls said the tattoo looks nothing like FuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Anna after getting the tattoo of her idol on her armCredit: The Sun
      Anna in the tattoo parlorCredit: The Sun
      The original artwork for the design More